Author: Steven Sahiounie

A group of experts from the International Monetary Fund issued, after their visit to the Jordanian capital, Amman, last week, an analytical paper on the economic situation in Iraq. The Fund published on its website an article stating: “A team of International Monetary Fund experts, led by Tokhir Mirzoev, visited Amman, Jordan, during the period 24-31 May, with the aim of discussing the latest developments and economic prospects with the Iraqi authorities, as well as discussing policy plans in the coming period. He added, “The growth momentum of the Iraqi economy has slowed down in recent months. After oil production…

Former Vice President Mike Pence will launch the 2024 presidential candidacy campaign on June 7 to join the presidential nomination race against former US President Donald Trump. With a campaign video and a kickoff speech in Des Moines, Iowa, former US Vice President Mike Pence is set to announce his presidential candidacy campaign on June 7. Pence, who has served under former US President Donald Trump, is set to join the presidential race for the Republicans at a time when Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are also running for the upcoming Presidential nomination. Pence will begin his campaign in…

The European Political Community is intended for political coordination of European countries across the continent and a closer dialogue with partners outside the EU, including Kiev and Chisinau Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky arrived on Thursday at the European Political Community summit in Moldova, according to Moldovan TV live broadcast. The state news agency Moldpres reported that the Ukrainian leader was the first head of state to arrive at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, not far away from Chisinau, where the high-level summit will take place. Zelensky confirmed his participation in the summit in a Telegram post. “Working in Moldova today.…

The German Wintershall Dea announced that it had succeeded in discovering a new natural gas within the Disuq concession in the onshore Nile Delta region in Egypt. Operations centered on the new exploration well (NSG-3) in the Abu Madi reservoir within the Disuq concession under a field development agreement in this area. The new discovery comes after the company’s previous discovery in the exploration area in eastern Damanhur in January of this year 2023, and the Disuq gas project is being operated by the “Desoco” company. It is a joint venture between Wintershall Dea and the Egyptian Gas Holding Company…

The purpose of the summit is to send a signal to Moscow that the participants in the event are standing behind Moldova and demonstrating a united front amid the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine On Thursday, Moldova will host the second summit of the European Political Community (EPC), an EU-led platform established at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022. The summit will bring together 47 national leaders to discuss peace, security and energy, a high-profile EU official told reporters in Brussels on Wednesday. According to a Brussels-based European diplomat, the summit, which is to be held…

The business climate index in the euro area fell to its lowest level in two years in May, according to a preliminary estimate by the EU’s statistics agency, Eurostat, released on Tuesday. Data showed that the indicator, which is based on monthly surveys and is designed to assess the state of the business environment within the euro area, dropped from 0.5 points in April to 0.19 points in May. It is currently at its lowest level since early 2021, when the region’s economy was suffering the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Eurostat, the situation is most severe in…

The condition of one man is assessed as serious, the second – of moderate severity, said the governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov At least two people were wounded in the nighttime shelling attack by Ukrainian troops on the city of Shebekino in Russia’s Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, the region’s governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Thursday. “This night is tense for Shebekino again. Ukrainian troops were shelling the city for an hour. According to preliminary data, two people were wounded. One man is in grave condition, with his upper limb being cut off. The other man is in condition…

Inflation reached its highest level since tracking began in 2005, the British Retail Consortium has said Annual inflation in UK shops surged to its highest level in at least 18 years in May, despite a drop in the pace of food price growth, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed on Tuesday. According to the trade body, prices at supermarkets and retail chains surged by 9% year-on-year in May, up from 8.8% in April. This was the largest increase since the BRC started tracking the indicator in 2005. Meanwhile, food price inflation slightly decelerated, the BRC said, sliding to…

The global shift away from the Western-based payment network, now used as a sanctions tool, has been gathering pace The Asian Clearing Union (ACU) – a nine-member group of central banks including those of India, Pakistan and Iran – has decided to launch a new cross-border financial messaging system in June, as an alternative to SWIFT, according to the Iranian newspaper Kayhan. The daily cited Central Bank of Iran deputy governor Mohsen Karimi as saying the new payment system is capable of completely replacing SWIFT and could facilitate the global de-dollarization push. The regulator reportedly stated last week that the…

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Zahra Ershadi called on Western states to rectify their policy towards Syria. Speaking at a session of the United Nations Security Council on “The situation in the Middle East: (Syria),” Ershadi emphasized the need for Western countries to reassess their approach in order to contribute to the restoration of stability, peace, and prosperity in the region. In her statement, Ershadi highlighted the challenges presented by the ongoing humanitarian situation in Syria, despite the diligent efforts of the UN. She pointed out that the current level…